Flicker in the Dark Room
by springArcher
Summary: He was rejected...for life? "I don't think so..."
1. Waning

**I DO NOT OWN WALLFLOWER.....NOT AT ALL.**

I was bored. Extremely bored.

Looking at this lifeless body alone made me so lightheaded that my eyes were in fact just one-third open. Actually, this body was not literally lifeless. Half-half maybe. I looked at all those tubes connected to his fingers, his wrists, even his nose.....yeah...the sight was just pitiful. Why won't you just die now, man?

Never mind his hair...it had always been ruffled anyway. I couldn't remember the last time that was washed, but the ferocious fan girls that would violently try barging in had always admired, according to their rotten minds, its resemblance to gold. That was plain s***. It was blonde, but for the love of fried shrimp, it was never gold! Stupid girls....disturbing my already ruined life. Do you seriously think I enjoyed all these..? Poor little farts. May the ultimate karma be with them..

I groaned. Clearly, I had been so tired all my life in dealing with all of these. I wished all those worms would just disappear. I wish _I_ would disappear...

Because I was rejected.

And the feeling was unbearable.

I stood up and roamed around the white sickening room for the hundredth time. Jeez, there was no way I could leave this darn guy! If I did, who knows what sorts of nightmare he would possibly go through in the hands of the perverted people around this place? Well, I would not be able to do anything about it, anyway. I lowered my head and stared at the misty extension down under. I was paler than ever, at least since the last seven days. And i could not even get the slightest glimpse of my feet.

Yup. I was floating. I explored this four-cornered space with great ease. For i was an entity without solidity. I was the wandering spirit of a certain bright creature lying unconsciously in bed for what felt like ages. I am Kyohei Takano. So was the one I was staring at.

I stopped in my tracks. Again, outside my room, I could hear the usual ruckus that I had somehow become accustomed to. To top the supposed-to-be forbidden noise, i could just make out the shrill, towering rage of the old nurse. Jeez, I was so lucky to have that old hag on duty to me. She would scare the hell out of those flirts for me, or rather, try to break their eardrums with her banshee-like howl. I smirked at the thought. Chaotic women were so funny, they impress me so much. I knew someone who was worse, though.. No, scratch the last. I knew someone who was the _worst _of them all! I wonder what would she have done. I guess the old hag would look like a cuddly puppy compared to her. How I wish she was the one tak-----

The smirk immediately left my face.

I hate that girl. I hate her so much I feel like shoving all her disgusting anatomy dolls in her mouth (or in her nose to stop her occasional nosebleeds) in just one push! She made my f***ing life a whole lot miserable; but she was not to blame for me ending up here in the hospital, don't get me wrong. What I meant was she made everything harder than ever by being so negative all the while; and me, as one of her broke housemates who couldn't possibly pay the humongous amount of rent to her glamorous and insane aunt, had to get off my butt and help her turn into a fine, normal at least, lady. Right, that was the trick to gain free rent from aunty, darn it: turn the reincarnation of Sadako into Venus. Seriously, she gave me, along with the other 3 struggling rent-payers; Takenaga, Yuki, and Ranmaru, a lot more trouble than we can handle. But well...

Somehow, it was something I had subconsciously been looking for: a thrill. An excitement. Something that would get my mind set on a sort of mission every morning when I woke up. Speaking of morning, i was really fumed to get out of bed ever since she came. Goodness me, her cooking was heaven! I could not imagine my life without her mouth-watering fried shrimp. I could not imagine...my life without.....

her...

I jumped, or rather, glided towards the end of the bed and swiftly sat cross-legged on it without causing the slightest hint of gravity on the cushion. There it goes again...the feeling of regret. Regrets of deciding to live in the Nakahara mansion in the first place, regrets of meddling with that morbid girl's business in the dark, regrets of being comfortable to become her friend...._my regrets of finally pouring my heart out_...

She did not brought me here almost dying, no. But she was making me not to leave this maimed state anymore. I could still clearly see our doomed conversation one cold rainy night in my mind's eye. Every word that came out from her chapped lips was ringing in my ears---- and it made me weaker by the minute.

I wish that this darn 'toot toot' sound from a nearby machine would just stop. I didn't want anything to do with this limp body any longer....then Sunako Nakahara, the scariest of them all, could finally live in peace. For all I care.

Because I was rejected.

And the feeling was unbearable.

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Patience has its virtue...so please bear with me....and review^^


	2. Engulfed

Don't sue me Hayakawa Tomoko..I'm claiming here and now that **I DO NOT OWN WALLFLOWER....**

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Those bright creatures just got back. The living room was probably flooded again with hideous amount of light; thank goodness I didn't happen to be wandering there while they were gone. I could merely hear the footsteps from here at my solitary kitchen; it sounded just about.....mmm... four pairs of tired feet. No.....it should be three. But it did seem four of them. Could it be........!

I dropped the huge bloody knife with a loud clang and immediately ran toward the main hall of the mansion, unmindful of the malevolent flash of light that might strike me once I get there. I scanned the great room through the curtain of my black bangs, panting, expecting to see an extremely bright, blonde hair waving as the owner would babble for food....

I couldn't see it.

Not a single sign of him.

Darn...

"Oh...h-h-h-hello, S-S-Sunako-chan..," Yuki stuttered with great effort. I must have gone back to my grim look after a brief moment of excitement. Wait....no, I was not excited! The dark smoke emanated from around me once again....which had always been comforting.

"I don't get it!" the only red-haired girl I knew exclaimed. "He always eat like he's about to die tomorrow, and yet...!" She waved her purse indignantly, causing Ranmaru to swerve out of the way just in time and instead made Takenaga the bull's eye. "How come _he _hasn't recovered yet?! It's not like------ Takenaga-kun..? Oh my gosh, Takenaga-kun! What happened???!"

So it was just Noi. How stupid of me. I turned around and didn't bother knowing if she would actually realize her own purse's 'sinful' escapade. I mentally floated back to the kitchen...the fresh, raw insides of my delicate salmon had been exposed for too long. As I made my way to the kitchen door, I thought I sensed pairs of eyes nervously followed me.

I let the cold water rush down my bony hands first before resuming my work. Stupid salmon. It's just like the others...since when did it learn to gaze at me like that? I didn't feel like letting someone, or something, offer such a heavy stare so I grabbed the knife..no--I better do this with bare hands---and dug its irritating eyes out of its socket. There. Much better.

I stood by the sink for quite a while...what was it that I was gonna do next again..? Mental block. Seriously, what was wrong with me..? As I ponder about the task where I left it, squeezing the salmon's poor eyeball in the process, the faint voices of the creatures outside slowly came into clarity. A part of my brain couldn't help but listen....

"....come on...what did the doctor say? We need to know...we're Kyohei's friends too, ya know..."

"...he's never better, that's all..."

"....what do you mean 'never better'..?"

"...we want details..!"

"...his condition hasn't improved a bit for days...and..*pause*...his body doesn't seem to be cooperating as well.."

"...my god..."

*pause*

"..you know guys...I kinda miss him already.."

I shook my head like a wet dog, ordering my idiot brain not to snoop around any further. I turned on the faucet once again, letting more water flush down so as to block any penetrating sound from the outside. Umm, the water bill might go up. But I didn't wanna hear it......BINGO! My eyes finally spotted a handy radio sitting in a lonely corner to my right. With its cute overalls..I thought I know who owns this. Heck, I would just borrow it for a sec, Yukinojo..

Without using my hand with the bloody eyeball of course, I used the other to switch the radio on and in no time, the melody of a piano greeted me. Who cares what song it was? I left the frequency where it was and continue my business with the eyeless salmon. The frying pan must be hot by now...

_**I always needed time on my own**_

_**I never thought I'd...**_

_**Need you there when I cry**_

Oh..so this was the Canadian singer Noi had been talking about. Her voice was...mm...yeah, well---kinda ok..pretty much.

_**And the days feel like years when I'm alone  
And the bed where you lie is made up on your side**_

**_When you walk away I count the steps that you take  
Do you see how much I need you right now_**

I didn't fancy mushy lyrics, though...

_**When you're gone  
The pieces of my heart are missing you  
When you're gone  
The face I came to know is missing too  
When you're gone  
All the words I need to hear to always get me through the day**_

_**And make it ok  
I miss you**_

Without warning, a tiny rustle somewhere behind me reached my ears. Like a programmed robot, my body moved on its own accord and pointed the kitchen knife threateningly to _him_. "Out of the kitchen, you creature of light!!!"

_**I've never felt this way before  
Everything that I do**_

_**Reminds me of you...**_

It was not _him, _it was her. Noi's eyes tensely looked at the sharp object under her very nose. "S-Sunako-chan..eh...he..he...," she laughed nervously, hands raised in submission and sweat pores all open. I apologized. I didn't mean to. It was _his_ fault for always doing that...now I used to put **extra** caution within at least 3 feet around me, weapon always at the ready.

"H-how are you, Noi..?" I asked in a small voice and looked away, feeling totally embarrassed by what I just did and not really expecting a reply. Darn it, this song was starting to get in my nerves..

"G-great! How 'bout you..? What's new today..?" she still replied, but I was not planning to in return, she knew me very well anyway. And I reckon she was beaming at the moment, showering deadly amount of light here and there. She then started narrating the incident from before, about how she blushed like a tomato in front of Takenaga and what she thought was the best way to completely destroy the accursed purse of hers. She sighed. Then silence. I was a really boring companion. I bet lots of imaginary dots were already forming above Noi's head. Err...

"How was the creature of light..?"

I mentally smacked myself in the head as hard as I could. The still atmosphere was awkward, yes...but of all the things I could have asked...!!!

"Oh, he's....," Noi, a usually talkative young lady, was for once searching for words. I could tell even with my back on her that her eyes were being restless, perhaps, looking for a way to make a bad news sound otherwise..? "..he's fine..I mean...this is Kyohei we're talking about after all!" she finally uttered.

"Right..," I mumbled. It's bad enough that I started this topic stupidly without Noi not telling me the truth, so after I scooped in the ladle and tasted my now cooked food, I decided I'd hit the laundry next. The salmon's eyeball was now in a safe, small jar. "Um...y'all can go ahead and eat now..I'll catch up later."

I left Noi in the kitchen, sniffing the aroma coming from the pot and spreading crazy pheromones all over again.

The laundry seemed lighter now. He was the one who contributed almost half of this kind of burden, that's why. Tsk. He was annoying in every way I could think of. But I was more pissed off at myself at the moment. Something was wrong with me, indeed. Why? I just found myself inside that creature of the light's room...

Curtains drawn closed and blanket neatly spread out on the bed, his room barely had anything changed since I last cleaned it. I let the laundry basket rest on the only wide cushion in this room and started rummaging for his clothes under the carefully folded ones of the other creatures.

"Argh! He doesn't have clothes in this basket, dammit!!" I explained to myself while holding my head in a crazed fashion. Didn't I just feel the basket get less heavy a while ago??? Natural instinct. Ridiculous.

Well, I was in the room anyway so maybe I could just grab something that needs to be washed. Dirty clothes? There couldn't be one. My eyes then found its way on the bed sheets...

_"..I'm sorry. The bathroom was full of steam, I didn't see anything. So don't worry.."_

My head was spinning all of a sudden. Darn, I need to get out of this room now. It brought a lot of flashbacks that if I let it be, I would totally be engulfed by insanity! Who cares about his messy stuff here anyway? But I wasn't moving. No. Not a single step away from his territory.

That flashback..those words...he probably forced himself to speak up despite his aching throat during the time when I myself witnessed him got sick.***** He got sick because of me, actually. In an accursed incident, I stumbled inside the bathroom, ready to have a nice shower, only to find him who got there first. I bled while he fled. I suffered a massive nosebleed after that, I was distraught! I didn't know how am I gonna get that out of my mind and I feel like dying anytime soon. But I found him the next day, sneezing, coughing his hell out of a throat and, like a child, without an appetite. While I was unfortunately left to take care of him (not to mention be ordered around and bullied by him), he mumbled what seemed to be an apology about the last night's catastrophe. He was sorry. Right in this very room, on this bed I was sitting at. Realization finally hit me that he suffered more that time......and I never once, even for once, considered things in his point of view.

....to think that I was the one searching for understanding.

Now, really.....I was sure lost in my own thoughts. This dark room vanished and was replaced by a bright one...the lonely closet cheered up and was hanging its doors open..a couple of books were scattered and clothes had arrogantly gone astray on the floor...

_**And the clothes you left, they lie on the floor  
And they smell just like you, I love the things that you do**_

My imagination drove me mad at last....

_**When you walk away I count the steps that you take**_

_"Yo! Goth girl! Get off your stinkin' butt now and cook somethin'! Aren't you hungry?" _a faint image of a tall, blonde rascal called out from the door. He shook his head in disbelief and slowly closed the door...

_**Do you see how much I need you right now?**_

His hands on the doorknob...slowly..and becoming ever so gently....separating himself from the reality where I was in at the moment. I couldn't make out his form anymore...only his fingers. He was about to leave me behind.

_**When you're gone  
The pieces of my heart are missing you**_

I ran towards the door immediately, knocking the laundry basket off the bed and probably making the washed clothes dirty all over again. I didn't care.

_**When you're gone  
The face I came to know is missing too**_

There's no way I was gonna let _him_ out of my sight again. No way...!

_**When you're gone  
All the words I need to hear to always get me through the day and make it ok**_

I reached the door and made my way toward my own room, got my backpack, and a little old tattered address book. I stole a swift glance from Hiroshi-kun and heard myself murmur: "I hope this works, pal.." Someone really had to bring that moron back. Someone needed (not that I would ever fancy the idea) to bring the lost brightness in the mansion back. I raced toward the main exit of the house, not bothering to answer everyone's overlapping questions, and I was off.

* * *

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!!"

I panted. Sheesh, dragging this woman along just from the lobby of the hospital to the 10th floor sure was a lot of an exercise. This was supposed to be the easiest part of my little plan, but—oh well...her own son was not an easy breed to begin with.

"You said you're going to take me to a spa! You said I'm going to have a makeover! You said----aaahh!!" she held her head in a crazed fashion. "Shouldn't we visit a doctor's office instead?? This hallway is full of patient's room!"

From the looks of it, I had no idea how I was gonna insert my explanation over her continuous rant about *groan* a spa. Actually, I did say that to her when I went to Takano's residence and fooled her into coming here. Anybody might as well get the scheme of my plan by now...

Thinking that this tantrum of hers might stretch until the morning (the sun was setting at the moment), it wouldn't hurt to just push her inside this room facing us, I guess? Besides, any minute now, a nurse or someone might force us out of the building; she was causing mayhem, all right...

And so I did. Upon entering the gloomy portion of this huge hospital, the many tangled white wires instantly caught my attention. These all led to a transparent mask worn from nose to mouth by an entity with white, pale skin...blonde hair....long eyelashes...

I looked away. I myself didn't quite know why, I just---looked away. It was my first time visiting _him. _I was not used to this. With my head in the opposite direction, I saw my company's reaction to this...sheer horror etched on her weary face.

"Is...", she gulped. "I-is this...by any chance...._Kyohei..?_

I didn't reply. She herself knew the answer.

It happened in a flash. Her knees finally gave in and made their way to the cold floor. Her tears, which she tried to conceal, successfully fought through the gaps of her palm hiding her face and dropped to her skirt...not showing a sign of coming to an end anytime soon. "Please....please take me out of here...", she sobbed.

I forced her to stand up.

"That," I pointed at the occupant of the bed, without looking. "is your son!" My voice was sure shaking in so much anger. "You think you're the only one having trouble looking at him like that? Do you think we'd just let him be if we know how to cure him? All I know," I held both her shoulders, not meaning to, but did, add pressure on it. "is that his friends want him back....so badly. I c-couldn't see why y-ou don't..!"

For the first time in years, I felt myself suffering from the condition that this woman did at this very moment, where your sight were all blurry because an unknown liquid formed and kept flooding your eyes. Finally, this irksome liquid fell out, creating a warm sensation on both my cheeks. This woman seemed to be imitating me, for she, too, did the same.

_**All I ever wanted was for you to know  
Everything I'd do, I'd give my heart and soul  
I can hardly breathe I need to feel you here with me**_

She freed herself from the strain of my grasp and walked toward the bed like someone hypnotized. From the sound of shuffling cloth (probably her skirt against the side-bed sheets), I knew she kneeled again. I turned around in time to see her plant an affectionate kiss on the bright creature's forehead.

_"Wake up, m'dear...Okasan's here....." _

I smiled while my tears slowly dropped. I was like a total idiot in this scene. Lately, there were lots of emotions that emerged from me, wanting to break loose, and I, myself, couldn't control them. All the same, right now I felt happy. I just wished that what Tamao-chi said long ago was true: that when you talk to someone unconscious, in a way, he/she can hear you, let alone help him/her recover from the seemingly endless sleep...

Kyohei's mother stood up, wiped her tears with her rosy handkerchief. "I'll bring his father here tomorrow", she sniffed. Suddenly, the atmosphere seemed lighter now. "You'll watch over him for now, won't you dear?"

I tried my best to fix my composure despite the overwhelming joy inside of me and tried to show her an expressionless face. I nodded.

I guess I could let her leave now. I know she meant everything she said. Those tears were the evidence. Darn, I was so happy for this blockhead here. He was so lucky, after all. Now, it seemed that I had no trouble looking at him anymore....I was not horrified by the sight of those wires and it was a good thing that the mask diminished his brightness. I grabbed a chair from a corner and sat beside the bed, my head resting on my crossed arms I positioned near him.

"You owe me big time, bright creature", I grinned. "You can just bribe me with chocolates when you wake up."

I stared at him and managed to smile at the thought of him finally waking up. I already lost track of the time. Sheesh, that song sure got me going. Tired of today's mission, I felt myself gradually entering sleep. I was finally unconscious, but not before I thought I felt a gentle, cold caress on my left cheek. Probably the wind.

_**I miss you...**_

**___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________**

**_*siiiiiiiiiiiigggggghhhhhhhh*_**

**_thanks *pant* for *pant* waiting...._**

**_background song: "when you're gone" by avril lavigne ^^v_**

**_*-- reference: Wallflower Chapter 3, page 22 ()_**


	3. Extinguished

**Believe me...even if I wanted to....I REALLY DON'T OWN THE WALLFLOWER! 0v0**

* * *

For quite some time, the hell of a room where my limp body was imprisoned had not changed a bit. Still, the towering white curtains brought no comfort and the ticking machine nearby continued to tempt me to bash it with my fist. But contrary to the degree of tranquility there was around, the fierce battle that never ceased to exist inside me had at last reached its limit. A lot of things suddenly took place so fast---- one after another. Even a man with my calibre couldn't possibly handle it all in a single blow! Really, she just won't stop bombarding terror anywhere she went.....

My misty composure was frozen in an instant....my eyes affixed toward a tangle of thick black hair spread out beside my unconscious self and my heart...was I supposed to feel anything at such a state? Nevertheless, I clutched my shirt tightly, as if I could loosen up whatever chain it was that was slowly squeezing my chest because it made me feel really awful by the minute. Just a while ago, I saw my mother whimpering at the sight of my condition. Yes, she was here! For real! Well...maybe I just feel so excited at the moment and that was why I was feeling a bit...weird? No, wait...

If so, then why was it this painful...?

.

All the while, I did not cut off my gaze on this morbid creature whose head was about to doze off and possibly share a part of my pillow. Damn her....if it was the other way around, would she allow me to do the same??? I grinned.......and my lips were shaking. What the heck....would I even get another chance to peek in her room, or rather, kick her door down and pester her with all my might just to get her out to cook something for my growling stomach like the usual routine?

I had no idea. Perhaps this was fear...? I was not sure.

...screw this whole thing, damn it! That's enough, Kyohei! Enough! Would this cure me? Would this help me change the past?! This was me---dying! Everything had gone wrong and there was none that I could think of to actually wake myself up and fix the whole picture back to how it used to be...

I grasped my transparent bangs in frustration.

Please...if I would end up there anyway, let it be now....

I didn't want to suffer anymore with those memories...

.

.

.

.

.

**Nakahara Mansion**

**7 days ago**

**8:00:00 pm**

"What the hell, guys!!! What part of 'I don't wanna go' didn't you understand huh??????!"

.

These morons were seriously ticking me off! Ranmaru locked both of my shoulders with his arms; Takenaga was already onto my feet—was he gonna lift them up... (?!?!?!); Yuki was carrying my guitar...of all the people...who ever let the clumsy one carry my precious guitar?!?!?!?!

"Kyohei! Will you stop thrashing around? Why are you so against this anyway?" the red-haired idiot spoke up in the midst of the chaos.

"'Coz you're all treating me like a pig, in case you haven't noticed!!"

Takenaga, to my dismay, had successfully got hold of my feet, making it easier for them to drag me into wherever they wanted me to be. "Just--argh—this once, Kyohei. You agreed with our plan to surprise Obaa-chan, didn't yo---ow!! COME ON, MAN! You're the only one who can play the guitar here, we're starting the plan with that, whether you like it or not...IF YOU TRY TO KICK ME ONE MORE TIME...!"

"Oh yeah? Well, I was aiming for your damn face!"

"You've lost the bet ,Kyohei..That's just the way it goes----OOPS!" Yuki managed to say on top of all the noise, the guitar slipping out of his grasp.

"YUKI! YOU DARE DROP MY GUITAR AND I'LL KILL YOU FIRST THING I GET OUT OF HERE!!!

.

I didn't know exactly when and where it all started, but these blockheads seemed to form a little sneaky team most of the time and then make fun of me. We're already graduating this coming summer and yet, we still looked like kindergartens whenever we're left alone! Feh! Spare me to the likes of them...I was obviously way more mature....WAS I NOT?! Just so everyone knows, I was dragged into this----literally and figuratively! Yes, I agreed to give a surprise 'gift' to that crazy old hag on the day of her expectedly glamorous birthday party---probably the last one that we got to attend before we go on our separate ways after high school. Oh yes...I agreed and just went with the flow....but who would have thought that I would be the one to pick the shortest stick during the draw lot?! It wasn't fair! Someone must have tricked me! Somebody---!!!

.

Without warning, Sunako's visage came into view, the dim light around the area barely concealing her evil smile and her long hair dangling on my face.

"Whoah......" her cult-like voice uttered. "A sacrifice...! I can bring the guillotine here from the basement if y'all want!"

"Shut up, you freakin' goth! Why don't you make yourself useful and get me out of---!"

And before I knew it, I was already out from behind the high curtains (where did that come from??) and out to the little stage facing the crowd of chattering guests...

I really had good reflexes for not tripping and embarrass myself any further right after the guys threw me out. I was about to tear apart the curtains as Yuki carefully put my guitar on the floor toward me when I suddenly heard the old hag's voice amidst the ogling audience: "What's all this about, Kyohei?"

.

I groaned. Well, I guess the damage was already done and I might as well make it worse so as to have fun with it at the very least. I grabbed a chair from one of the guests' tables and made way for the so-called stage again, then sat on it with one of my legs crossed while I positioned my guitar to begin. Seconds before I even pull the strings of the guitar, the crowd had already begun to squeal. What the heck....

_**I never knew love...could be like this**_

_**Never thought that I would be**_

_**The one that you would kiss...**_

Takenaga once told me that this was the old hag and her late husband's song. What the...how come I still remembered it? Was I, somehow, still operating according to his ideas even after all those morons did to me?!?

_**I never knew love...could be so rough**_

_**But now I found the real thing**_

_**I can't get enough...**_

Screw those guys...I don't care if I mess this plan up!

_**The sweetest surprise...caught me tonight**_

_**Right there in your eyes**_

_**While I was kissing you...**_

_**So don't say that you don't love**_

_**Everything you dreamed of...could be here...**_

I was already getting oblivious, if not at ease, with what was in front of me....and the last thing that I need at the moment was a distraction. Sunako Nakahara, you idiot! Why did you have to show up and ruin everything with your creepy, blunt voice?! She was suddenly standing timidly near the curtains; her head bowed as she tried to hide her face from the world. But still, she was singing. Even though she fidgeted her fingers and sweat gallons, she was still singing. I froze at the sight of her...

_**I used to wish, I used to dream**_

_**But now, I'm leaving my heart's wildest fantasy**_

_**So I'll begin to believe**_

_**Because our love is there for everyone to see...**_

At last, I came to my senses and decided to sing along with her. With the strings of my guitar that stopped as well a while ago, we went on surprising the old hag...

_**The sweetest surprise...caught me tonight**_

_**Right there in your eyes**_

_**While I was kissing you...**_

_**So don't say that you don't love**_

_**Everything you dreamed of...could be here...**_

I thought that that was it. I almost stopped in my tracks again as weird sounds started flooding in. I turned on my back once more but this time, I didn't completely came to a halt---not a sound had gone missing from me, as I felt that it would shame the rest of these knuckleheads...

_**On and on, the good things never end**_

_**hoohoo... **_

Ranmaru's head leaned in the violin...Takenaga blew the harmonica...and Yuki hit the tambourine merrily...

_**On and on, where we never pretend, ohohhh... yeah...**_

'

The three ushered Sunako as they settled to join me officially on stage. Noi, whom I knew was somewhere in the crowd, almost gave me a heart attack when she jumped in without invitation, dragging the usually zip-mouthed Tamao, and also sang with her heart's content (probably just to show off with Takenaga). Finally, all seven of us were perched in the middle of a predicament in which our job was to make sure that this wouldn't devastate Obaa-chan's birthday party. There we were: tone-deaf and the outfits were downright plain (Sunako was still in her sweatshirt!!) but we tried with all our might to fill the room with only the melody coming from us...even without a fancy microphone. This was somehow what we owed the old hag for taking us in her mansion in the first place. I searched for Obaa-chan among the heart-shaped-eyed guests: there she was, crying without realizing herself, perhaps...

_**The sweetest surprise**_

_**Caught me tonight**_

_**Right there in your eyes**_

_**While I was kissing you  
**_

I just noticed, where did that creepy, blunt voice go...?_**  
**_

**_So don't say that you don't love_**

**_Everyt_****_hing you dreamed of could be here..._**

_**Ah... hah... hahhh...**_

The comfort brought about by the song seemed to penetrate me tenfold. Sunako cracked into an unevident, but no doubt, smile...

_**So don't say that you don't love**_

_**Everything you dreamed of could be here....**_

As her pure, violet eyes continued to gleam behind that iron curtain that she had for a bangs, something pounded inside my chest and it only went on gathering up speed. I wonder if anyone else noticed...? I struggled to struck the last bit of strings to graciously end the 'gift', or rather, lengthen the time to mesmerize those two stunning orbs. The audience started to clap, thank goodness they liked it...but the roaring of their applaud vanished as fast as it appeared. What can I do? Something got the better of me. I kissed Sunako.

.

If it weren't for Sunako herself, I wouldn't have stopped anytime sooner. I found her hands pushing both my shoulders, then she blinked.

.

God, if only Yuki was just beside me, I could've sworn that I already threw him away in so much happiness! Sunako Nakahara, after staring at me for a very short distance and at more than five seconds, DID-NOT-NOSEBLEED!!! It was such an astonishing moment for me and, truth be told, too much for me to handle! I stood up, grabbed Sunako's hand to come off the stage toward the old hag and announce to her another surprise gift that I, myself, had never expected to ever come when....

....she escaped from my grasp..

...and frantically ran away.

.

I tried to hold onto her, but without success. I saw her bump into one of the frilly-dressed guests but she managed to stand up and continued to go all the way---as if her life depended on it. I stood there, transfixed. It was a good thing, though, that the old hag was just near me; she hit me hard at the back and shouted: "What are you still gaping at here for, you monkey?!?! Go!!"

.

.

.

I finally spotted her crouching by the end of the rose bush at the vast garden outside the mansion (was it just me, or that part of the bush really did turn a bit black..?). For some reason, I was shaking---- at least both my clenched fists were. Unable to control myself, I wasted no time in initiating a discussion with her.

'

"Were you that disgusted with me...huh.....?"

No response. Just a tiny movement in the bushes.

.

"Don't even think about running away from me again or------!"

"Get away from me!"

.

Like a salt that had been rubbed on a fresh wound, those few words barely kept me standing straight. I couldn't bear to ask her the obvious question, though......'why'..?

"Sunako, I think it's about to pour here outside, and it's cold, too. You'd better get inside..." I said, my face expressionless.

"Y-you go first!" she said. The grumbling thunder that was about to bring in the rain was getting louder.

"Oi..." I replied, trying to cover up my breaking voice. "You dimwit...did you actually take the whole thing a while ago seriously...?" I cautiously snuck up to her and threw my hooded jacket. "Get back inside---your aunt's waiting for you."

.

Yet again, I came across with those mysterious violet orbs which seemed to hypnotize me even in my mind's eye. I envy my hooded jacket so much...it wasn't that bright, therefore, it could freely wrap itself around her. Sunako awkwardly stood up from her corner.

"C-c-come along now, bright creature, if you still care about the food, that is," she said, her hair slightly moving in the night air as she passed by.

.

It was like letting go of your most precious bird with which you had longed to possess for years. Yes, you had fed it and took an utmost care of it until such time that it would learn to stay by your side even if you do let it out in its cage. But by the time you decided to really let it out, it didn't hesitate to go its way and never returned again. You, as the captor, who was also hoping to be more than that, wouldn't think of hunting it down anymore. It might die anyway in your refuge and it would most likely hurt more than the pain of regret caused by opening the door of that little cage. But still....

I couldn't help but be miserable. The rain poured at last but I was still nowhere near going back inside the mansion like what Sunako told me to. Sunako....

.

I hate that name. That was my resolve. Why? Because she hurt me this much---because she was so stubborn, damn it! It was that simple. But my emotions were way more powerful than my mind right now, and so anger was not the one that was overwhelming me. To say that I was depressed or gloomy was a hell of an understatement. I couldn't explain it, just as how the pouring rain couldn't explain to me why it coincided with the unknown substance that was coming out of my burning eyes.

I sat on the damp grass and laid my back on the rose bushes. So what if I got sick? It might even have a good side to it, seeing that it would be possible that she would, though grudgingly, take care of me. The little raindrops turned into bigger ones...filling up the trenches and concave parts of the garden....the water splashing whenever someone stepped foot on it. A "splash"...then came another....and another... How come...? There couldn't be a whole lot of them who were already looking for me in an instant, could there? I couldn't care less, though. Until...

Someone from behind tried to slash my gut. The person managed to wound me, but that was as far as he could get. Years of having been involved in various unimaginable fights and it wouldn't be unusual to achieve such reflexes; I managed to disarm him, whoever it was. He was masked, and so was those cunning little worms who were already making their way into the depths of the mansion. Who the heck were they...? Oh shit...!

I immediately grabbed the gun of the masked idiot whom I disarmed just a while ago. I had no freakin' idea how to ever use a gun and so I fired it aimlessly into the air to alarm every single one of them who were inside the mansion, and perhaps, Obaa-chan's hidden bodyguards somewhere in the vicinity. I fired and fired....until maybe all the frustrations would cease to torment me. All of a sudden, I heard a gunshot that was not from mine. I felt a throbbing pain in my stomach.......and I was out.

.

.

.

.

.

My weightless head was resting on my right palm this time. I mindlessly tried to reach the tangle of thick black hair that was spread out near my unconscious self and as expected, my hand just went through it, as if I was trying to hold the water. I was so confused. I wanted to just disappear at the moment but the prospect of not being able to watch horror flicks with her anymore made me fear the coming of it. Should I stay or not? If I did stay, what would I gain? And if I didn't, what would be solved...?

I raised my misty head and moved closer to that morbid creature. If I couldn't touch her, then I just had to pretend like I could. I moved my head even closer to her and gestured an idiotic kiss on her cheeks.

.

"It's all up to you, goth girl," I whispered. She flinched a little, and was still.

The irritating machine nearby began ticking faster ...and faster...and faster....

* * *

_"Sweetest Surprise" by Michael Learns to Rock_

It was like....MONTHS...before this chapter showed up. gomen nasai..honto ni...

**(/^o^)/****


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